1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector that is easily manufactured, mounts stably to a substrate, and provides a high contact density in a given area on the substrate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional electrical connector assemblies include complementary male and female connectors for establishing electrical connections between electrical systems and components. For example, computers and other electrical equipment include electrical connectors for connecting printed circuit boards, for connecting a printed circuit board to a backplane, and/or for connecting a printed circuit board to a cable. One exemplary connector is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,688 to Stanford W. Crane, Jr.
The female contacts of conventional electrical connectors, particularly those used in edge connectors, have a complex, arcuate shape. One example of such a female contact is illustrated in FIG. 1. The contact portion contacts the male contact to establish an electrical connection. The contact portion is angled or bowed to allow the female contact to flex when mated with the male contact. The normal force of the flexed female contact against the male contact produces an electrical connection. A stabilizing portion retains the female contact in a female connector housing.
Conventional electrical connectors are difficult and expensive to manufacture. One reason is that the female contacts are difficult to insert into a female connector housing. In a female edge-type connector, the tail portion of a female contact is formed in a right angle. Consequently, the female contact must be inserted through a hole in the female connector housing with the contact portion inserted first. Because the contact portion has a bow or angle that extends well beyond the periphery of the stabilizing portion, a complex maneuver is required to thread the contact portion through the hole in the female connector housing.
Another reason that conventional electrical connectors are difficult and expensive to manufacture is that the contacts are not arranged in the housings in a manner conducive to efficient manufacture. Finally, some conventional electrical connectors include a male connector housing having an array of buttresses. Male contacts are disposed around each male buttress. One problem with this arrangement is xe2x80x9cbanana peeling,xe2x80x9d where the male contacts bend or peel away from the buttress. A consequence of banana peeling is that the male contacts may contact the wrong female contact or another male contact.
Moreover, the male and female contacts are manufactured by stamping metal from metal stock. The contacts lose a measure of flexibility and resiliency when stamped. The loss of flexibility and resiliency particularly impairs the functionality of the female contacts, which typically flex to establish an electrical connection with male contacts. For example, the female contacts may become misaligned and/or the normal force between the connected male and female contacts may be reduced.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide an electrical connector that is not subject to the deficiencies of conventional electrical connectors.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has as an object to provide an electrical connector that is easily manufactured and provides reliable electrical contacts.
A further object is to provide a high density electrical connector that is easily manufactured and provides a high density of reliable electrical contacts.
A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector that having contact pins arranged in a pattern that facilitates manufacture.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that is not subject to banana peeling.
A further object of the invention is to provide a female connector that is easily manufactured and provides reliable electrical contacts.
A further object of the invention is to provide a female contact pin that facilitates manufacture of an electrical connector and provides a reliable electrical contact.
A further object of the invention is to provide a contact pin that is easily manufactured and that provides a reliable electrical contact.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises an electrical connector assembly having a male connector, including a male connector housing and a plurality of male contact pins secured in the male connector housing, and a female connector, including a female connector housing and a plurality of female contact pins secured within holes formed in the female connector housing. Each of the female contact pins include a stabilizer portion adapted to secure the female contact pin to the female connector housing and a flexible contact portion extending from the stabilizer portion. When the contact portion is not flexed, a distance spanned by the contact portion in each direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the stabilizer portion is substantially the same as or less than a distance spanned by the stabilizer portion in a corresponding direction.
The invention further comprises an electrical connector having an insulative housing having a plurality of holes formed therethrough and a plurality of contact pins secured within the holes of the insulative housing. Each of the contact pins include a resilient beam portion and a stabilizer portion secured in the insulative housing for retaining the contact pin. The stabilizer portion has an outer periphery. The resilient beam portion, when at rest, is substantially enclosed within a projection of the outer periphery of the stabilizer portion.
The invention further comprises a female contact pin for use in an electrical connector. The female contact pin has a stabilizer portion configured for securement to a female connector housing and a flexible contact portion for contacting a male contact. The stabilizer portion has a longitudinal axis and a first width transverse to the longitudinal axis. When the flexible contact portion is unflexed, the flexible contact portion extends at an angle from the stabilizer portion to traverse a lateral distance in a direction of the first width, wherein the lateral distance spanned by the entirety of the flexible contact portion in a direction of the first width is substantially the same as or less than the first width.
The invention further comprises an electrical contact pin comprising a mounting portion configured to establish an electrical contact with a substrate, a free portion configured to contact a section of a complementary electrical contact pin, the free portion being movable between at rest and flexed positions, and a stabilizing portion disposed between the mounting and free portions and configured for securement to an insulative housing. The stabilizing portion has an outer periphery defining a projected volume within which the free portion is substantially confined in the at rest position.
The invention further comprises a method of manufacturing an electrical contact pin, which includes the steps of cutting a tail portion from wire stock such that a periphery of the tail portion is displaced from a periphery of the wire stock in directions perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wire stock, and forming a contact portion opposite the tail portion.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.